Brief description of the paper

At its meeting on 30 May 2008, Academic Standards Committee received the Report of the Review of Departmental Programmes of Teaching Learning and Assessment of the Department of Classics held on 25 February 2008. Following consideration by the Committee, the recommendations were forwarded for action to the relevant staff. The attached report summarises the responses and confirms the progress to date. The Head of Department at the time of the DPTLA visit was Professor Catherine Steele. She was succeeded by Professor Matthew Fox in August 2008.

As the Convener of the Review Panel has now retired, the report has been considered by the Senior Senate Assessor on Court, member of the Review Panel and will be referred to as the Convener in the remainder of this report. The Convener is satisfied that the Panel’s recommendations have been, as far as possible, given full and appropriate consideration. However, a few recommendations have been identified as requiring further action.

Action Requested

Academic Standards Committee is asked to consider the adequacy of the responses and the progress made to the following recommendations, which the Convener of the Review Panel considers to be satisfactory.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15a, 15b, 17, 18, 20

The Convener particularly commends the Head of Department’s considered and pragmatic response to the balance between Honours options and core courses under Recommendation 11.

Academic Standards Committee is also asked to consider the need for update responses in relation to:

• Recommendation 3 – replacement of retiring Senior University Teacher with a research active member of staff. The Convener notes the satisfactory response to this recommendation. ASC is asked to consider the need for a complementary response from the Head of Department describing the effect on the teaching and administrative roles of staff since the new staff member has a more research active role than the current post-holder. An update should be provided by the September/October ASC deadline.
• Recommendation 8 – review of teaching profiles to allow larger group teaching and reduce amount of time spent on small group teaching. The Convener recommends that ASC request an update from the Department after the staffing situation has been resolved.
• Recommendation 9 – adequate information is provided to junior staff regarding promotions. The Convener recommends that ASC encourage the department to ensure that they do not rely on P&DR to disseminate information on promoted appointments.
• Recommendation 13 – inclusion of aims of ILOs and highlighting transferrable skills. The Convener notes the Department’s response that ILOs are included in the Honours handbook but recommends that ASC request a fuller response to this recommendation including reference to transferrable skills.
• Recommendation 16 – replacement of examinations with continuous assessment for postgraduate students. The Convener appreciates the necessity of the Department undertaking changes to the undergraduate curriculum as a priority over this action. He recommends, however, that ASC request an update on Postgraduate assessment.
• Recommendation 19 – SRC to ensure that student representatives be given instructions on minute writing. The Convener notes the SRC’s response that the practice of students taking minutes should be discontinued, but suggest that ASC should invite the Department to respond as this may reflect a change in departmental practice.

Recommended Person/s responsible for taking action(s) forward

Head of Department (Recommendations 3. 8. 9. 13. 16 19)

Resource implications

Not applicable.

Timescale for Implementation

Additional responses should be reported to the May 2010 meeting of ASC with the exception of the response to recommendation 3 which should be reported to the October 2009 meeting of ASC.

Equality implications

Not applicable.